A cappello romano or saturno (because its appearance is reminiscent of the ringed planet Saturn) is a hat with a wide, circular brim and a rounded crown worn outdoors by Catholic clergy when dressed in a cassock. Along with the biretta, it's become very popular in the United States among priests who wear cassocks. Many of... Continue Reading →
In a recent jet-presser at 30,000 feet, Pope Francis commented that he felt "honored" that some traditional-Catholic Americans were attacking him. Why does this not surprise me? It seems obvious to me that he doesn't care for those Catholic Americans who consider themselves "orthodox" or "traditional." On the flip side, I think it's fair and... Continue Reading →
It appears that what we have going on here is an ecclesiastical game of "chicken." Bonn and Rome are on a head-on collision course, and both are waiting to see who turns first. The objective of the German Bishops Conference in Bonn is to set the agenda for radical changes in the German Church BEFORE... Continue Reading →
In a recent plane interview here, Pope Francis may have inadvertently shown the cards of the Catholic Left. He spoke of a "schism" brewing among conservative Catholics in the United States, and then (almost in a provocative way) he said he's not afraid of it. Now that's not to say Pope Francis actually wants a... Continue Reading →
Living in the Ozarks, which is deep within the Bible Belt, I tend to get a lot of questions from local Evangelicals about Pope Francis. Lately, I've been hit with many, in rapid fire, and they're not the good kind of questions. Much of this has been brought on by news reports concerning the Holy... Continue Reading →
Sadly, we now live in a time when this is a very relevant question. Since the election of Pope Francis, the issue has come to the forefront of religious discussion among orthodox Catholics who are "red pilled" or "woke" to the problems in the Catholic Church. Early in the Francis pontificate, from March of 2013... Continue Reading →
So it's official now. Everything is a mess. The Catholic Church is in complete and total chaos. Civil war is erupting among the bishops. Some bishops are about to go under federal investigation. Some are trying to get out of the country. The pope has been credibly accused of knowingly covering-up, and even rewarding, a... Continue Reading →
Since I happen to live in the Bible Belt of the United States, I am surrounded by Evangelicals and Baptists all the time. So if you happen to be an Evangelical, Baptist, Charismatic or Pentecostal Christian, this essay is for you. Other Protestants may find this interesting as well, and I'm sure some non-Christians may... Continue Reading →
There is a word in the Catholic lexicon, and most Catholics are unfamiliar with it. It's called ultramontanism. Briefly, the word means "beyond the mountains" and it's a European reference to the Italian Alps that act as a natural northern border between Italy and the rest of Europe. Following the Protestant Revolution, wherein great portions... Continue Reading →
